Archive of Our Own ^beta

The knife was still warm in Azure's chest when the stars shattered overhead. Two Time was crying again, but their voice was steady: "██e █o█ ██ the ██x█ l██e." Then, everything went dark.

Azure woke to the smell of saltwater.

The world above him was impossibly blue, the kind of sky that looked like it had never known rain. He blinked against the light, chest aching faintly as though he had been running for hours. A dream, he thought hazily, though the details slipped away the moment he tried to grasp them. Something about stars. Something about a voice.

He sat up, brushing sand from his palms. The shoreline stretched endlessly in both directions, waves folding over themselves with practised rhythm. It should have felt peaceful. It almost did - if not for the hollowness in his lungs, the sense that he had been here before.

"Finally awake?"

Azure turned. Two Time was standing down the beach, shoes in hand, feet buried in the wet sand. Their expression was unreadable, the sun behind them crowning their hair in silver. They smiled when his eyes met theirs, though something about it looked fragile.

"You were out for a while after we played in the water." they continued, walking toward him. "Bad dream?"

"... I think so?" Azure rubbed at his temple with a hum. The fragments slipped away too quickly to piece together. "It felt.. sharp. Like- something I can't put my finger on."

Two Time crouched beside him, head tilted. "Then it's a good thing it was only a dream." Their hand brushed his shoulder, grounding him. "We're here now. That's what matters."

Azure wanted to believe them. The warmth of their touch, the sound of the waves, the brightness of the sky - it all seemed too perfect to doubt. But when he closed his eyes, he saw shards of light falling like glass, and felt a phantom ache in his chest that refused to fade.

He opened his mouth to say something, but Two Time beat him to it.

"Let's make this one count."

The words were soft, almost drowned by the waves. Azure frowned. This one? He thought to ask, but Two Time was already on their feet, brushing sand off their trousers and gesturing for him to follow.

"Come on," they said brightly. "We've got all the time in the world."

Azure hesitated, staring at the shape of their back against the sun, a silhouette he could swear he had followed before. The unease gnawed at him like a shadow at the edge of his vision. But when he stood, the sand was warm, and Two Time's hand was waiting for his.

He took it.

For now, that was enough.

Azure followed Two Time off the shoreline, their footsteps sinking into the wet sand side by side. The heat of the day had softened into something gentler, golden, as though the world wanted to frame this moment in amber.

The town wasn't far - he could see the rooftops over the small sand dunes, little smudges of red and brown that looked painted into the horizon. The streets were quiet when they arrived, sun-bleached stone walls lined with flowers. Azure found himself staring too long at the blossoms spilling from a window box: white lilies, perfectly in bloom. Something about them stirred an ache of familiarity, though he couldn't remember ever walking this street before.

"Don't zone out." Two Time teased, giving his arm a tug. "You'll fall behind."

Azure blinked, startled from his thoughts. "Sorry. Just... feels like I've been here before."

Two Time's smile froze, just for a second. Then they laughed, light and careless. "Deja vu. Happens to everyone."

But their grip on his wrist lingered longer than it should have.

They stopped at a cafe nestled against the square. The air smelled faintly of roasted beans and sugar, and the clink of dishes echoed from within. Azure slid into the corner seat, sunlight spilling across the table. Two Time sat across from him, resting their chin on their palm.

"You look unsettled." they commented.

"Do I?"

"You've been quiet since you woke up."

Azure hesitated. He didn't want to sound paranoid. "It's nothing. Just weird dreams."

"What kind?"

Azure searched for words, but the dream had already dissolved into fragments. Stars. Shattered light. A voice calling to him from far away. He shook his head. "I don't remember."

Two Time studied him, their gaze too steady, too searching. Then they reached across the table and brushed their fingers against his hand. "That's probably for the best."

The words should have been comforting, but instead they chilled him.

Days folded into each other like pages of a book. Azure found himself falling into a rhythm: waking by the shore, wandering the town, spending his hours in the company of Two Time. It was... peaceful. Safe. Almost too safe.

Every corner of the town seemed perfectly tranquil, as if it was made for the very purpose of calm: flowers blooming out of season, fountains bubbling with endless water, streets that were always clean no matter how many people passed through. At night, the stars were so sharp and clear they looked painted across the sky.

"Azure! The nightshades you asked about are in our stock today," The florist he had visited countless times waved, eyes twinkling. "Got lucky and found some in the forest last night. Watcha' think?"

Azure in turn smiled widely, feet already heading towards the shining glass of the shop entrance. "Is that so?" He asked, basking in the scent of the wet, moist soil and flowers.

"Yup! No berries though. Those kill ya." Annabelle, a tan lady with a smile like sunshine, leaned across the counter. Her hands were dusted with soil, fingernails rimmed green.

Azure laughed softly. And although he had already known, he thanked her with a grin. "I'll keep that in mind." He brushed a finger across one of the nightshade petals, marveling at its velvet shine. "It almost doesn't seem real, finding something this rare here."

Annabelle tilted her head before brushing her nose with one of her clean fingers. "Funny thing, huh? They grow back faster than you'd think. Almost like the forest doesn't want to let them go."

Something in her tone made Azure pause. But before he could ask, Two Time entered the shop, greeting Annabelle with an overfamiliar wave - as if they had been here many times before.

"Hah! And who is this? Is this the 'Timey' you were talking about? Y'all have the same shirt and all." She said with a wink, freckles shining under the sun.

"Ah- haha.. Yes," Azure laughed awkwardly, motioning Two Time to come closer. "Annabelle, meet Two Time. Two Time, meet Annabelle. She's the florist I've been visiting these past days." The brunette introduced.

"Annabelle! Delighted to meet you. May the Spawn bless your day." Two Time clasped their hands together with practiced ease, voice carrying that melodic quality that always seemed to catch people's attention.

Annabelle chuckled. "Polite one, aren't cha? Not many kids are that nice anymore." She leaned on the counter, peering between them. "So, Azure's finally brought someone along. Thought he was just making you up or something. He's an odd fella isn't he?"

Azure flushed lightly, tugging at his sleeve. "I didn't make them up. And I'm definitely not odd... I think."

"Well, I can see that now." Annabelle's smile softened as she slid the bouquet forward. "Here. Freshly cut this morning. Careful, though - nightshade's beautiful, but hard to please. Needs shade, just the right soil, patience... just like a fancy daughter of a wealthy family. Okay, maybe that's a bad comparison." She trailed off, eyes flicking briefly to Two Time. "Though I get the feeling you already know that."

Two Time's expression didn't change, but Azure caught the quick twitch in their jaw before they laughed. "Patience. I see. Yes, of course. It is a virtue to have as a loyal follower of the Spawn."

Azure reached for the bouquet, fingers brushing the petals again. The velvet texture lingered against his skin, strangely heavy for such a delicate flower. He tried to shake the odd thought away, focusing instead on Annabelle's cheerful chatter about soil mixtures and watering schedules.

"Thank you, Annabelle," he said earnestly when she finished. "I'll take good care of them."

"You better, kid!"

He opened his mouth, but Annabelle was already turning to help another customer who had just entered, her apron swishing as she moved.

Two Time tugged lightly at his sleeve. "Come on," they murmured, their voice warm but insistent. "Let's not keep her busy." They giggled.

Azure let himself be pulled toward the door, the bell chiming overhead as they stepped back into the sun. The bouquet felt heavier than it should in his hands, the scent clinging to his clothes like memory.

He glanced sideways at Two Time, who was humming softly, as if nothing at all had happened.

The next stop was the bakery at the corner of the square, the scent of cinnamon and sugar welcoming them like an old friend. Inside, the warm air pressed gently against Azure's skin. A tall man with flour-dusted sleeves greeted him before he even stepped closer.

"Morning! Oh, you must be Azure." The man behind the counter took a look at him, before disappearing into the back of the bakery. "Hold on, I baked these just for you." he said, holding a tray of perfectly golden pastries.

Azure blinked. For him? He had never been here before... had he? And yet his hands moved on instinct, reaching for the tray as if muscle memory guided him.

Two Time leaned casually against the counter, sweat dropping from their temple. "Ah.. you remember? Seems like I've talked about him a bit too much."

The man let out a hearty laugh. "Of course! Whenever you come here, it's always 'Azure loves these!' or 'Azure would find this quite pleasant!' I bet the entire town knows him by now. Seems like you're popular now, young man." He turned to Azure at the end of his sentence. Two Time, however, hid their blush in their hands, turning away shyly.

"I… guess so, haha," Azure said, uncertain. The pastries smelled like comfort and warmth. When he bit into one, the sweetness seemed to settle into his chest. A small, fleeting sense of deja vu twisted at the edges of his mind. Like he's tasted this before. No, not before - always.

They walked back through the square, the golden hour spilling across the cobblestones. The bouquet of nightshades felt impossibly heavy now, its dark petals glowing faintly in the sunlight.

Two Time hummed a tune Azure didn't recognize. "Beautiful day," they said, smiling. "Feels like it could last forever, doesn't it?"

Azure nodded, though unease lingered in the pit of his stomach. Forever... he thought. He's heard that word before, in dreams that vanish the moment he wakes.

And for the first time that day, he noticed how many times Two Time seemed to already know his next move - every pause, every glance, every step perfectly in sync.

Azure slowed his steps, studying the cobblestones beneath his feet. Each stone was smoothed from age, fitted together so neatly it seemed impossible they hadn't been placed just yesterday. His fingers tightened around the bouquet. Almost like everything here refuses to change...

Two Time tilted their head, watching him closely. "You're quiet."

Azure forced a smile. "Just... thinking."

They didn't press further. Instead, they began humming again, that same tune from earlier - light like a lullaby nearly remembered but just out of reach. Azure tried to place it, straining against the edges of his memory, but the harder he focused, the faster it slipped away.

His gaze drifted to the shop windows they passed. He caught reflections there: himself, Two Time, the faint blur of candlelight flickering behind the glass. For the briefest second, the reflection of Two Time didn't move in sync with the real one beside him - it lingered, a fraction behind, smile a touch too wide. Azure blinked, and it was gone.

"You're pale." Two Time said softly. Their voice was steady, but their eyes carried something unreadable. Concern? Fear? Amusement? Azure couldn't tell.

"I'm fine," Azure lied.

They reached the fountain at the center of the square, its water catching the glow of sunset like melted gold. Children laughed nearby, tossing coins into the basin. Wishes whispered into the air, carried away by the wind.

Azure found himself staring. His throat tightened. 'If I threw a coin, what would I even wish for?' He wondered.

The answer came too quickly, too instinctively. For this to last.

But even as the thought surfaced, a strange hollowness pulled at him. Because deep down, he already knew - it never does.

---

One evening, as they walked along the harbor, Azure finally spoke what had been gnawing at him.

"Do you ever feel like... like- this isn't real?"

Two Time stopped, the lamplight casting their face into shadow. For a heartbeat, the silence was suffocating.

Then they smiled, soft and careful. "It doesn't matter if it's real. What matters is that we're here, together."

Azure swallowed. Their answer didn't soothe him. It only deepened the ache in his chest.

That night, he dreamed again.

Two Time stood behind a counter, soil-stained hands arranging nightshade petals in a vase. Their voice was warm, familiar, and yet not. "You'll love these, Azure. They're meant to last forever."

Azure reached for the petals, but as soon as his fingers brushed them, the vase shattered. Water spilled everywhere.

He gasped - then suddenly water filled his lungs, rushing into him like a river. He clawed for air, choking, drowning-

Black.

The dream shifted.

Now Two Time was behind a bakery counter, flour dusting their clothes. "Careful, these are your favorite." they said, sliding a tray of pastries across.

Azure lifted one, took a bite. Sweetness melted on his tongue, too sweet, sickeningly so. The bakery windows burst, waves of sticky dough and syrup rushing in, filling the room. He couldn't breathe. Again, drowning-

Black.

When light returned, Two Time was bent over a book, the soft glow of a lantern making their face look impossibly gentle. "Here, Azure. This story belongs to you."

The pages opened in his hands. Ink bled, spilling like water, like oceans crashing from the words. He tried to shut the book, but it dragged him under-

Black.

A princess- Two Time? Dressed in a flowing, pearly dress, adorned with flowers and jewellery. They reached out for his hands slowly. "Azure... Please, take me with you. I can't- I can't do this anymore." They stuttered between hiccups, tears flowing down like a waterfall. Their tears painted their sickeningly pale face, framing it in an endless glow.

Azure's hands moved, taking in their chilly hands gently, as if they were a brittle piece of artwork. They leaned and leaned: until their breaths mingled as warmth engulfed them both. Just as he bent closer-

Azure woke gasping, hand clutching his chest where the phantom wound burned. Moonlight spilled across the floor, silver and cold.

Two Time was asleep beside him, their breathing soft. Peaceful, even.

And yet, in the dimness, Azure thought he saw the glimmer of tears drying on their cheeks.

---

Azure awoke with the dawn, though his chest still ached as though the dream had pressed a knife into him for real. He sat up slowly, careful not to disturb Two Time, and rubbed at the phantom wound. His breath came ragged, too sharp for so quiet a morning.

The room was gentle in its silence. Curtains swayed in the breeze from a cracked window, carrying the scent of salt. Somewhere far off, a bell rang, marking the early hour.

He looked at Two Time, who had shifted in their sleep. Their brow was furrowed now, just faintly, as though even in dreams they carried something heavy. Azure's hand hovered, almost touching their cheek, but he stopped himself. Instead, he pulled the blanket higher over their shoulders, protecting them from the morning chill.

The dream clung to him as he dressed and stepped outside. The air was crisp, the square alive with people opening shops, sweeping stoops, setting baskets of fruit by doors.

He passed the florist's stall. The nightshades in the window glistened with dew, identical to those in his dream.

He passed the bakery. The man behind the counter waved, tray of golden pastries already ready, as though expecting him.

He passed the bookshop, where the old keeper adjusted his glasses, sliding a leather-bound journal onto the counter - waiting.

Azure's chest tightened. He paused, hand on the doorframe, unable to step inside. The dream's fragments overlapped with reality until he couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.

"Azure?"

Two Time's voice broke his trance. They were suddenly there at his side, smiling as if nothing was wrong, as if they hadn't been a florist or a baker or a scholar just hours ago in his dreams.

"You drifted off," they said gently. "Were you going in?"

Azure swallowed. "I... forgot."

Two Time tilted their head, gaze unreadable. Then they reached out, brushing invisible dust from his sleeve. "Then let's walk together. The morning's too beautiful to waste."

Azure forced himself to nod. His chest still burned. The memory of water still filled his lungs.

But he smiled anyway, falling into step beside them.

The two of them walked side by side through the square.

Two Time hummed again, that same lilting tune. Azure tried not to notice how perfectly their stride matched his, how they always seemed to turn just before he did, how the world itself seemed to move around their rhythm.

It should have been comforting. Instead, it felt rehearsed.

The sky turned from a light blue to a beautiful yellow gradient, hues of orange filling and bleeding into every corner.

They stopped at the fountain. Coins glimmered at the bottom, catching the sunlight in strange patterns that almost looked like words if he stared too long. Children's laughter rang out, distant, and for a moment the sound warped into something else - something cracked and wet, like drowning lungs. Azure tore his gaze away, shaking his head.

"Something wrong?" Two Time asked. Their eyes were too sharp for the softness of their tone.

"No." Azure said quickly. Too quickly. "Just.. a bit tired."

"Then we'll rest tonight," they said. "Together."

Azure tried to smile. "Together." The word caught in his throat, dry and heavy.

Shopkeepers shuttered their doors. The town sank into quiet, the golden light stretching long shadows over the cobblestones. By the time they reached their room, the streets were empty, the silence too thick, as though the whole town was holding its breath.

Azure lay awake longer than he admitted, staring at the ceiling beams as moonlight traced patterns across the walls. His chest still ached where the phantom wound burned.

Beside him, Two Time shifted in their sleep. For the second night in a row, Azure saw the faint glimmer of tears on their cheeks.

He reached out, his fingers brushing the air just above their face. So close to touching - yet he pulled back, curling his hand against his chest instead.

Sleep finally dragged him under.

Black.

Smoke curled in the air. A dim desk lamp flickered over stacks of case files. Two Time leaned forward in a detective's coat, shadows sharp against their cheek. Their eyes were tired, but unyielding.

"Azure." they said, voice hoarse, "you don't belong here. You're supposed to be dead."

On the wall behind them were photographs - every single one of Azure. His face in a hundred angles, some smiling, some lifeless, some bleeding.

Two Time stood, pulling a revolver from their coat. Their hand trembled, but the muzzle pressed against his chest didn't. "This time, I'll make sure."

The gun went off. The sound became thunder. Azure fell into darkness.

Black.

Light returned. A chandelier glowed above a smoky parlor. Two Time lounged in a velvet chair, a glass of red wine in their hand. A mafia boss, dressed in a large black coat, a smile curled with danger.

"You always make trouble for me, Azure." they said softly, almost fond. With a snap of their fingers, men in the shadows moved closer.

Azure tried to speak, but his throat closed. The wine in Two Time's glass rippled, then spilled, spreading like blood across the floor. The crimson rose higher, flooding the room, swallowing his legs, his chest, his mouth-

He drowned again.

Black.

Azure stood in a throne room, gold light scattering across marble. Two Time was a prince, draped in silk and silver, crown tilted on their brow. Their hand extended, eyes soft, voice trembling.

"Stay with me, Azure. I'll give you everything - kingdom, crown, eternity."

Azure reached forward, touched their palm - warm, steady. The prince leaned closer, lips parting as though to seal a vow.

But then the crown slid down, heavy as iron. Their grip tightened, bruising. "No one gets you but me."

Azure choked. The weight of the crown pressed him down, down, until the floor swallowed him whole.

Black.

Now a hall echoed with laughter. Azure wore a gilded crown upon his own head. And there, before his throne, Two Time danced, bells jingling on a fool's cap.

"Majesty," they grinned, bowing low, "a joke for you."

Azure tried to speak, but his voice was gone. Only the bells rang, shrill, endless.

Two Time looked up, smile too wide, eyes gleaming with something sharp. In their hands was not a lute but a dagger, hidden in plain sight.

"Punchline is..." They lunged.

The blade found his throat.

Black.

Azure woke with a shiver, chest heavy, lungs tight. His hands shook as he pushed himself up from the bed, blanket slipping to the floor. Moonlight spilled across the room, silver and cold. Two Time was nowhere to be seen beside him, wrinkled sheets taking their place.

"Another day." he whispered to himself, though his voice felt strange, alien. The memories of the previous night's dream swirled like fog at the edges of his mind, sharp and fleeting. He tried to shake them, tried to anchor himself to the ordinary: the scent of the linen, the quiet hum of the town outside. But it lingered, unshakable, curling like smoke in his chest.

Two Time suddenly appeared in the doorway, smiling. "Azure. You're awake." They mused, softly sitting down on the bed beside him. "Come on," they said, brushing a lock of hair behind their ear. "I have a surprise for you. You'll love it."

Azure's legs moved almost on instinct. His mind screamed to stay, to question, but the trust - or the obsession - he felt for Two Time outweighed reason. Outside, the town melted behind them. Cobblestones gave way to roots, dirt, moss. The air grew dense with the scent of wet earth and leaves. Sunlight filtered through branches, fractured and golden.

They walked hand in hand, and every step felt familiar, like a memory he could almost place. It should have been peaceful, beautiful. But somewhere in the soft rustle of leaves, a warning hummed just beneath his skin.

They reached a clearing deep in the forest. Sunlight pooled in golden patches. Birds sang, indifferent to what was about to unfold.

Two Time turned, eyes locking on him with a sharpness that froze his heart. "You know too much, Azure."

"Know... what?" he asked, voice barely a whisper.

"You shouldn't have remembered." they said. Their smile stayed, but it was brittle now, dangerous. Azure's stomach turned. The forest seemed to lean in closer, leaves rustling like whispers, shadows curling toward him.

Before he could react, pain bloomed in his chest. Warmth, then heat. Knife. His own scream caught in his throat as Two Time's other hand pressed against him, trembling.

Just as he let out his last breath-

Two Time had taken their own life.

Time fractured. Light bent. Everything became black.

But this was different. Different from any of his other dreams. It wasn't empty. It was filled.

Azure saw himself kneeling over a fallen Two Time, tears burning, hands shaking. This was a memory - not just any memory, but the life that had begun the cycle. The life where Two Time had died before him, where his grief had somehow triggered the loops.

Wait. How did he know this? How-

Their rotting corpse sat in place, a heart still beating under the nightshade that bloomed from their ribs. Their chest rose and fell in sync with their breaths as if they were alive, yet their body stayed unmoving, as if dead. He weakly inched closer to hold their hand as he found himself uttering a prayer he thought he would never make - for the next time to be the last.

Azure suddenly remembered the words they had uttered.

"See you in the next life."